Hot Chocolate
by FallenAngel218
Summary: Kate and Gibbs have a late night conversation in the squad room after a difficult case puts Gibbs on edge. NFA Hangman prize for Flootzavut.


_**Summary:**__ Kate and Gibbs have a late night conversation in the squad room after a difficult case puts Gibbs on edge._

_**Characters:**__ Kate, Gibbs_

_**Notes:**__ hangman prize for flootzavut. She requested some Kibbs. I've never attempted Kate before, so I hope you like it!_

A heavy snow was falling on DC. The MCRT had finished up for the evening. Tony and Tim had taken off at the first mention of going home, eager to beat out the snow. Kate, however, had a few reports she needed to finish before she headed home. She sat cross-legged in her desk chair, typing away. Gibbs, of course, was still at his desk. Neither of them spoke.

It took Kate longer than she expected to finish her report. She looked up as the report went to the printer, and saw Gibbs hunched over at his desk. She passed by his desk on her way to retrieve her report, and noticed that he was staring at something. Kate stopped in front of his desk, and set down the reports in front of him.

"These are all set."

He didn't respond with anything more than a shrug of his shoulders. She leaned in to get a glimpse of what he was staring at. It was a picture of a little girl, barely 8 years old by her guess. She was sitting on a swing, smiling brightly.

"She's beautiful." Kate said before she realized she'd opened her mouth. Gibbs' head snapped up, and he glared at her. His eyes were red. _Has he been crying?_ Kate wondered to herself. She bravely stood her ground. "What's her name?"

Gibbs ran a finger gently over the photograph, staring at it with sadness in his eyes.

"Kelly. Her name was Kelly."

He was lucky to be able to get her name out without letting his voice crack. Kate regarded the sadness in his voice as she glanced down at the picture of Kelly. Realization dawned on her, and she was suddenly overcome with sadness.

"Kelly is your daughter."

He nodded slowly.

Kate knew exactly what was going on. The case they'd wrapped up today involved the kidnapping of a little girl, probably no older than Kelly. The kidnapper taunted Gibbs, and when they finally found her, it had been too late. Gibbs ended up shooting the bastard in self-defense, and had to face telling a family that their little girl would not be coming home. He'd been on edge all afternoon, and eventually sent everyone home early, ahead of the impending snowstorm. A gut feeling had kept Kate behind at her desk, finishing reports that probably could have waited until the next day.

A tear escaped his eye, and dropped onto the photograph. Kate walked around to his side of the desk and put a hand on his shoulder as she realized something else.

"Did Kelly…"

Gibbs nodded silently.

"Oh God… Gibbs, I'm so sorry…"

"Don't apologize," he said automatically.

"Don't even start with that 'no apologies' crap, Gibbs. I can see how much this case is upsetting you."

"I just want to be alone, Kate."

"I don't think you should be alone tonight," she said. She looked over at the window. The snow was coming down in sheets. "Neither of us are going anywhere in that storm. Looks like you're stuck with me."

"Goody," Gibbs said sarcastically. He didn't want to be coddled all night. He just wanted to go home and drink away the memory in his basement.

"I know what you're thinking," Kate said.

"Do you, now?" Gibbs said in retort.

"You're thinking about how much you want that bottle of bourbon in your basement."

He didn't answer her.

"I've got something better, guaranteed to work."

"What's that?" he said with a small smile.

"I'll be right back."

Kate went over to her desk and took a brown bag from the drawer. She walked off toward the break room. He looked down at the photograph of Kelly. Why the hell couldn't he have gotten to that girl sooner? If he had gotten there faster, she'd be alive. _Screw this_, he thought. _I can probably push the truck through this snow._ He put a hand on his jacket and started to rise from his chair, when Kate returned. She was carrying two steaming mugs. She set them on Gibbs desk, and pulled up her desk chair to sit next to him.

"Were you trying to leave?"

"I thought about it," Gibbs said, sinking back into his chair. He took the mug and looked at its contents.

"Hot chocolate?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's homemade. My grandmother used to make it for me when I was feeling depressed. I've been making it for years."

Gibbs picked up the cup and took a sip. _This is_ really _good_, he thought. He took another sip, a smile sneaking across his face.

"It's working, isn't it?" Kate asked as she took a sip of her own beverage.

"A little," Gibbs quipped. He took another big gulp. "Katie?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime," she said with a smile. She took another sip of her hot chocolate. "Why don't you tell me more about your daughter?" she asked.

Gibbs picked up his hot chocolate and sipped it, while he told stories of his time with his little girl. When the hot chocolate was gone, Kate noticed that Gibbs had leaned back in his chair, and drifted off to sleep. Smiling, she took the mug hanging from his fingers and set it on his desk. She went over to her own desk and curled up on the floor, using her coat as a pillow.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

Gibbs awoke the next morning with a start. The bullpen was bustling with agents. He blinked and scrubbed a hand across his face. That was when he noticed the jar on his desk. It had a decorative lid, and a card was attached. He picked it up and examined it, and a smile spread across his face. It was a jar of hot chocolate mix. He opened the small card attached to the lid with mint green ribbon, and smiled.

_Just in case you need to feel better. :)_

Love, Kate

**END**


End file.
